St. Cloud State holds narrow lead over Nebraska-Kearney, Maryville
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by Craig Sesker USA Wrestling
Nebraska-Kearney’s Destin McCauley (in blue) edged Maryville’s Keenan Hagerty 3-1 in overtime on Friday night. Mark Lundy photo.
ST. LOUIS – Destin McCauley has been in more than his share of big matches.
So when the five-time Minnesota state champion and 2012 Junior World Team member went into overtime at the NCAA Division II Championships, he stayed calm and kept his composure.
McCauley scored a takedown in sudden victory to earn a pivotal 3-1 win over two-time All-American Keenan Hagerty of Maryville in the 149-pound quarterfinals.
McCauley was one of five Nebraska-Kearney wrestlers to earn berths in the semifinals on Friday night before 2,500 fans at the Chaifetz Arena.
“I’ve been a lot of places, but this feels like home to me,” McCauley said. “Everybody on the Kearney team makes me feel like I’m a part of a family. It’s an awesome place to be. I love it there. I want to help this team win a national title.”
Third-ranked Nebraska-Kearney, seeking its fourth title and first since going back-to-back in 2012 and 2013, is locked in a tight team battle with rival St. Cloud State.
The Lopers led for most of Friday night’s session before the Huskies jumped in front when true freshman Larry Bomstad scored a stunning fall over Hagerty in the 149 wrestlebacks.
St. Cloud State has the lead with 47 points, with Nebraska-Kearney a close second with 44.5 points. The Huskies have four in the semifinals and two others alive in the wrestlebacks.
St. Cloud State is seeking its first NCAA tournament title. The Huskies finished second in the NCAAs in 2011, 2012 and 2013.
“To come in here this evening and win all of our matches and then get some bonus points on top of it, that’s just unreal,” St. Cloud State coach Steve Costanzo said. “I commend these guys’ efforts. We got a little momentum going and everybody fed off each other.”
Host school and No. 2 Maryville, the leader after Session I, is in third place with 42.5 points and three in the semifinals. The Saints have two others in the wrestlebacks. Mercyhurst is fourth with 40 points, placing two in the semis and having four still alive on the back side of the bracket.
Top-ranked and defending champion Notre Dame is in seventh place with 26.5 points.
The semifinals are set for 10 a.m. Central on Saturday with the finals set for 7 p.m.
2014 champion Romero Cotton of UNK also reached the semis at 197 as did his teammate, 2013 champion Daniel DeShazer (133). The junior was second in this tournament last year. DeShazer won on a last-second takedown over Nick Crume of Indianapolis in the quarters.
UNK received another big win at 165 when Devin Aguirre downed Maryville’s Dmitri Willis 6-2 in the quarters.
Maryville received a big spark early in the quarters when Dakota Bauer, just 8-9 entering the postseason, earned an 8-4 win over Notre Dame’s Sam White in the 133 quarterfinals.
Bauer started his college career at Iowa State, but said he walked away from the sport for family reasons. He was off the mat for 11 months before accepting an offer from Coach Mike Denney to wrestle for Maryville.
“I’m so grateful to have a chance to come back,” Bauer said. “I missed wrestling so much. It’s awesome to be in the semifinals and to be a part of this team. I’m ready to be on that big platform tomorrow night and win it.”
Two-time NCAA champion and top-ranked Joey Davis of Notre Dame advanced into the 174 semis. The junior is 30-0 this season and 106-0 in his career. Returning champion Jonatan Rivera of Notre Dame also reached the semis at 157.
Returning champions also advancing were North Carolina-Pembroke’s Daniel Ownbey at 141, Central Missouri’s Frank Cagnina at 149 and Kutztown heavyweight Ziad Haddad.
NCAA Div. II Championships
March 13-14, Chaifetz Arena, St. Louis, Mo.
Top 10 teams
St. Cloud State 47, Nebraska-Kearney 44.5, Maryville 42.5, Mercyhurst 40, Ouachita Baptist 33.5, McKendree 32.5, Notre Dame 26.5, Western State 25.5, Tiffin 23.35, Colorado Mesa 23.
Semifinal matchups
125 pounds
Tim Prescott (St. Cloud State) vs. Gerald Huff (Adams State)
T.J. North (Augustana) vs. Joshua Kieffer (Indianapolis)
133 pounds
Dakota Bauer (Maryville) vs. Michael Labry (Ashland)
Daniel DeShazer (Nebraska-Kearney) vs. Nate Rodriguez (Ouachita Baptist)
141 pounds
Corbin Bennetts (Western State) vs. Michael Screptock (Tiffin)
Daniel Ownbey (UNC-Pembroke) vs. Keith Surber (Nebraska-Kearney)
149 pounds
Destin McCauley (Nebraska-Kearney) vs. Terrel Wilbourn (Lindenwood)
Frank Cagnina (Central Missouri) vs. Nick Goebel (Findlay)
157 pounds
Jonatan Rivera (Notre Dame) vs. Sean Turner (Anderson)
Clint Poster (St. Cloud State) vs. James Martinez (Colorado Mesa)
165 pounds
Devin Aguirre (Nebraska-Kearney) vs. Matt Vandermeer (Lake Erie)
Gabe Fogarty (St. Cloud State) vs. Chris Watson (Central Oklahoma)
174 pounds
Joey Davis (Notre Dame) vs. John Blankenship (Pitt-Johnstown)
Zeb Wahle (Maryville) vs. August Mizia (Mercyhurst)
184 pounds
Nick Burghardt (Maryville) vs. John Vogt (McKendree)
Dallas Smith (Ouachita Baptist) vs. Dakota DesLauriers (Mercyhurst)
197 pounds
Romero Cotton (Nebraska-Kearney) vs. Julian Smith (McKendree)
Huston Evans (Newberry) vs. Jayd Docken (Augustana)
285 pounds
Ziad Haddad (Kutztown) vs. Jack Page (Fort Hays State)
Austin Goergen (St. Cloud State) vs. Garrett Grey (Tiffin)
ST. LOUIS – Destin McCauley has been in more than his share of big matches.
So when the five-time Minnesota state champion and 2012 Junior World Team member went into overtime at the NCAA Division II Championships, he stayed calm and kept his composure.
McCauley scored a takedown in sudden victory to earn a pivotal 3-1 win over two-time All-American Keenan Hagerty of Maryville in the 149-pound quarterfinals.
McCauley was one of five Nebraska-Kearney wrestlers to earn berths in the semifinals on Friday night before 2,500 fans at the Chaifetz Arena.
“I’ve been a lot of places, but this feels like home to me,” McCauley said. “Everybody on the Kearney team makes me feel like I’m a part of a family. It’s an awesome place to be. I love it there. I want to help this team win a national title.”
Third-ranked Nebraska-Kearney, seeking its fourth title and first since going back-to-back in 2012 and 2013, is locked in a tight team battle with rival St. Cloud State.
The Lopers led for most of Friday night’s session before the Huskies jumped in front when true freshman Larry Bomstad scored a stunning fall over Hagerty in the 149 wrestlebacks.
St. Cloud State has the lead with 47 points, with Nebraska-Kearney a close second with 44.5 points. The Huskies have four in the semifinals and two others alive in the wrestlebacks.
St. Cloud State is seeking its first NCAA tournament title. The Huskies finished second in the NCAAs in 2011, 2012 and 2013.
“To come in here this evening and win all of our matches and then get some bonus points on top of it, that’s just unreal,” St. Cloud State coach Steve Costanzo said. “I commend these guys’ efforts. We got a little momentum going and everybody fed off each other.”
Host school and No. 2 Maryville, the leader after Session I, is in third place with 42.5 points and three in the semifinals. The Saints have two others in the wrestlebacks. Mercyhurst is fourth with 40 points, placing two in the semis and having four still alive on the back side of the bracket.
Top-ranked and defending champion Notre Dame is in seventh place with 26.5 points.
The semifinals are set for 10 a.m. Central on Saturday with the finals set for 7 p.m.
2014 champion Romero Cotton of UNK also reached the semis at 197 as did his teammate, 2013 champion Daniel DeShazer (133). The junior was second in this tournament last year. DeShazer won on a last-second takedown over Nick Crume of Indianapolis in the quarters.
UNK received another big win at 165 when Devin Aguirre downed Maryville’s Dmitri Willis 6-2 in the quarters.
Maryville received a big spark early in the quarters when Dakota Bauer, just 8-9 entering the postseason, earned an 8-4 win over Notre Dame’s Sam White in the 133 quarterfinals.
Bauer started his college career at Iowa State, but said he walked away from the sport for family reasons. He was off the mat for 11 months before accepting an offer from Coach Mike Denney to wrestle for Maryville.
“I’m so grateful to have a chance to come back,” Bauer said. “I missed wrestling so much. It’s awesome to be in the semifinals and to be a part of this team. I’m ready to be on that big platform tomorrow night and win it.”
Two-time NCAA champion and top-ranked Joey Davis of Notre Dame advanced into the 174 semis. The junior is 30-0 this season and 106-0 in his career. Returning champion Jonatan Rivera of Notre Dame also reached the semis at 157.
Returning champions also advancing were North Carolina-Pembroke’s Daniel Ownbey at 141, Central Missouri’s Frank Cagnina at 149 and Kutztown heavyweight Ziad Haddad.
NCAA Div. II Championships
March 13-14, Chaifetz Arena, St. Louis, Mo.
Top 10 teams
St. Cloud State 47, Nebraska-Kearney 44.5, Maryville 42.5, Mercyhurst 40, Ouachita Baptist 33.5, McKendree 32.5, Notre Dame 26.5, Western State 25.5, Tiffin 23.35, Colorado Mesa 23.
Semifinal matchups
125 pounds
Tim Prescott (St. Cloud State) vs. Gerald Huff (Adams State)
T.J. North (Augustana) vs. Joshua Kieffer (Indianapolis)
133 pounds
Dakota Bauer (Maryville) vs. Michael Labry (Ashland)
Daniel DeShazer (Nebraska-Kearney) vs. Nate Rodriguez (Ouachita Baptist)
141 pounds
Corbin Bennetts (Western State) vs. Michael Screptock (Tiffin)
Daniel Ownbey (UNC-Pembroke) vs. Keith Surber (Nebraska-Kearney)
149 pounds
Destin McCauley (Nebraska-Kearney) vs. Terrel Wilbourn (Lindenwood)
Frank Cagnina (Central Missouri) vs. Nick Goebel (Findlay)
157 pounds
Jonatan Rivera (Notre Dame) vs. Sean Turner (Anderson)
Clint Poster (St. Cloud State) vs. James Martinez (Colorado Mesa)
165 pounds
Devin Aguirre (Nebraska-Kearney) vs. Matt Vandermeer (Lake Erie)
Gabe Fogarty (St. Cloud State) vs. Chris Watson (Central Oklahoma)
174 pounds
Joey Davis (Notre Dame) vs. John Blankenship (Pitt-Johnstown)
Zeb Wahle (Maryville) vs. August Mizia (Mercyhurst)
184 pounds
Nick Burghardt (Maryville) vs. John Vogt (McKendree)
Dallas Smith (Ouachita Baptist) vs. Dakota DesLauriers (Mercyhurst)
197 pounds
Romero Cotton (Nebraska-Kearney) vs. Julian Smith (McKendree)
Huston Evans (Newberry) vs. Jayd Docken (Augustana)
285 pounds
Ziad Haddad (Kutztown) vs. Jack Page (Fort Hays State)
Austin Goergen (St. Cloud State) vs. Garrett Grey (Tiffin)
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